How To Decorate Your Loved One’s Nursing Home Room

20th February 2020

Help to make the transition from home to nursing home easier by creating a home-from-home.

Personalise the space by using cherished items that remind the resident of their home and life. This can be done by drawing on all the senses.

Take the time to find out which personal belongings they want to bring with them and try these simple tips to help them settle into their new home:

🔸Photos Bring A Room To Life

Placing your loved one’s precious photos around their room is one of the best ways to both warm up the space and make settling in easier.

Not only do they provide a sense of comfort and create points of interest they also lift mood. Photos of familiar faces help remind your loved one that they are loved. They are also effective at evoking memories from their younger years.

Keep photos in accessible places for loved ones to look at with ease.

🔸Take Treasured Belongings

Many of our residents bring their favourite armchair, pictures and other small belongings to personalise their room such as their own bed linen, a loved blanket or throw.

Pieces of furniture can hold sentimental value and can bring a sense of normality to a new environment and help to make the space feel instantly more comforting.

🔸Create A Special Memory Box

Try creating a memory box to give to your loved one that they can keep safe in their personal space. Place a few treasured items in there, and then encourage your loved one to add to it regularly.

This can also be a nice activity to do with family members when they first move in, and it helps those living with dementia recall memories.

🔸Flowers & Plants

Nature is wonderful for our mental health. One or two low maintenance plants around the room help to purify the air and provide an instant mood booster. Artificial plants and flowers can also bring colour and joy.

🔸Bring Familiar Smells

Smells can be very evocative and can have strong associations for your loved one, so bring along their favourite room fragrances.

Decorating your loved one’s room can be simple. All that’s needed is some colour, texture and a few of their most treasured items. Arranged with a little bit of care and you can instantly make their room feel more comforting.

At Movilla House, we encourage our residents and their families to personalise their room as much as they can, after all it’s their home. Our maintenance person is on hand to hang pictures, mirrors etc. and generally make moving in that little bit easier.

To find out more about the care we offer, please contact Home Manager, Tracey Anderson on 9181 8399.